SEGMENT INFORMATION Reconciliation of Reportable Results (Details) (USD $) In Millions, unless otherwise specified	12 Months Ended
	Oct. 31, 2013	Oct. 31, 2012	Oct. 31, 2011
Reconcilitation between statement results and enterprise results [Abstract]
Total reportable segments' income from operations	$ 1,276	$ 1,384	$ 1,310
Restructuring related costs	(53)	0	(2)
Acceleration of depreciation for held and used assets	0	(15)	0
Asset impairments	(3)	(1)	(9)
Transformational programs	(19)	(25)	(51)
Amortization of intangibles	(199)	(136)	(113)
Acquisition and integration costs	(29)	(74)	(54)
Acceleration of sharebased compensation expense related to workforce reduction	(3)	0	0
One time and pre separation costs	(5)	0	0
Varian acquisition related fair value adjustments	0	0	(9)
Other	(14)	(14)	(1)
Interest income	7	9	14
Interest Expense	(107)	(101)	(86)
Other income (expense), net	8	16	33
Income before taxes	859	1,043	1,032
Segment assets and capital expenditures [Abstract]
Assets	8,044	7,997
Capital expenditures	195	194	188
Life Sciences and Diagnostics [Member]
Segment assets and capital expenditures [Abstract]
Assets	4,291	4,072
Capital expenditures	77	56
Chemical Analysis [Member]
Segment assets and capital expenditures [Abstract]
Assets	1,756	1,768
Capital expenditures	30	32
Electronic Measurement [Member]
Segment assets and capital expenditures [Abstract]
Assets	1,997	2,157
Capital expenditures	$ 88	$ 106